Mitchell Lewis (June 26, 1880 – August 24, 1956) was an American film actor whose career as a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract player encompassed both silent and sound films.
Mitchell Lewis | |
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Born | Syracuse, New York, U.S. | June 26, 1880
Died | August 24, 1956 Los Angeles, California, U.S. | (aged 76)
Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1914–1956 |
Spouses |
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Born in 1880, Lewis appeared in more than 175 films between 1914 and 1956, although many of the roles in his later films were uncredited. He played supporting roles, such as Sheihk Ilderim in 1925's Ben Hur in the silent era and Ernest Defarge in A Tale of Two Cities (1935) in the sound era, but his career would diminish to small uncredited roles like the Captain of the Winkie Guards in The Wizard of Oz (1939). His last film was The Fastest Gun Alive, starring Glenn Ford and Broderick Crawford, which was released shortly before Lewis' death in 1956. Mitchell also served as one of the original board members of the Motion Picture Relief Fund, now known as the Motion Picture & Television Fund.[1]
Although uncredited in The Wizard of Oz, he had several lines towards the end of the film, including: "She's dead. You killed her." "Hail to Dorothy! The Wicked Witch is dead!" and, in response to Dorothy's request for the late witch's broomstick, "Please! And take it with you!".[1][2]